Random February Thoughts. . .

I have no idea what Sean Connery is like in real life as an older man. He was certainly a rough and tough guy in his younger years by many accounts, but Connery nevertheless managed to come across as polished and urbane in his James Bond guise 50-odd years ago.

1) Navy grenadine necktie

2) "How do you do?" accompanied by a firm handshake.

3) A moderated speaking voice.

4) Uncluttered living and work spaces.

5) Discretion in all things.

6) Understatement

7) The power of handwritten thank-you notes versus email. . . or (more typically) nothing.

8) Pleasant table manners

9) A mouth free of chewing gum

10) Telephone conversations in private

11) Inoffensive personal habits. . . even when at home with the door closed.

12) Polish, sophistication, and good grooming always

13) "The Dearborn" by Optimo Hats of Chicago

14) A subdued olive green knit silk necktie with a pink and white university stripe OCBD shirt worn beneath a Harris Tweed sports jacket with dress corduroy pants in any number of colors.

15) FYI -- The final two items seem to invite favorable comments from ladies of all ages.

-- Heinz-Ulrich

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Mid-November Monday. . .

A few minutes between classes this morning, so I snapped pictures of today's attire and accessories. The first wearing this season of the Optimo 'Dearborn' fedora, and the tie is a vintage number from Orvis, a nod to my late father's fly-fishing and fly-tying hobbies. It's been two or three years since this particular necktie's last appearance, so high time to pull it out and knot it carefully around the ol' neck. Managed to nail it on the first attempt too. Could this be the start of a trend? -- Heinz-Ulrich

The Problem of "Business Casual" Attire. . .

This is how it's done. Business Casual the RIGHT way, ladies and gentlemen. Even during the summer months. A photograph (taken by Studio B Portraits ) which appeared in 425 Business Magazine in May 2017. T his post on the problem of business casual dress began as a quick postscript to a previous blog entry last week but quickly grew and grew as additional thoughts occurred, were developed in more detail, and revisions made. So much so, that it seemed, eventually, like a better idea to make the initial P.S. afterthought into its own entry . Are ya ready, Freddy? Then, here we go. . . ------------ U nless you actually plan to sell beach snacks and trinkets on Cozumel, become a serial barista, or greet customers at a fancy nightclub after taking out huge student loans to attend university somewhere for four or five years, plus an MBA afterward, it's really a better idea to err on the side of (somewhat) more formal work at...

My Preferred Oxford Cloth Button-Down Shirts. . .

One of several light blue cotton oxford cloth button-down collar shirts in my rotation, worn here with a wool flannel navy blazer and a vintage Italian silk necktie once sold under the Rooster label. An orange-brown with silvery paisleys, ideal for the autumn. T he other day, a regular visitor to Classic Style for the Average Guy left a comment in which he asked for information and my recommendations on the classic oxford cloth button-down shirt, commonly abbreviated to 'ocbd.' "Me? Are you tawkin' to me?" Oblique Robert DeNiro references aside, let's talk oxford cloth button-down shirts. This particular type of shirt is one of the bedrock items every man should have a few of hanging in his closet, especially when he wishes to present himself to the world in a way better -- yes, I said better -- than what has become the sad accepted average among so much of the male populace. First things first though. Lots of people automatically...

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